0x113 - Archive Thrifting #1: Impromptu Investigations

April 5, 2018

Testing out a new, potential subseries—and hitting every conceivable pothole along the way.

0x114 - Archive Thrifting #2: Arc of a (Dumpster) Diver

April 19, 2018

…figured I’d better shoot at least one episode in Beautiful Downtown Aurora before leaving.

0x115 - Ben's Junk: K-Tel Record Selector

May 3, 2018

At last! Ben reviews a K-Tel product!

0x116 - Ben's Junk: Teac V-770 Cassette Deck

May 17, 2018

The MCS deck kinda got fried. Time for another fixer-upper!

0x117 - Discovision Dead Sides

May 31, 2018

Let’s unearth some (unintentional) pre-DVD Easter Eggs…

0x118 - Ben's Junk: ABC Talking Monday Night Football (Board Game)

June 21, 2018

An early, talking board game—whose (nearly) every move is dictated by a tiny record.

0x119 - Archive Riffs: Selling Your Home? (Talking House Transmitter Promo Video)

June 28, 2018

Rather serendipitously, just in time to move, we’ve unearthed a promo video for an item that we’ve used on Archive many times—namely, the Talking House Transmitter. Talk about timing!

0x120 - Archive Thrifting #3: Beautiful Downtown Aurora's Last Stand

July 5, 2018

…because I totally needed a bunch more junk to try and pack up.

0x121 - Ben's Junk: Rocketfish Wireless Rear Speaker Kit

August 2, 2018

There were a precious few hallmarks of the old Archive HQ that I did NOT want to carry over. Speaker wire running all over the room was one of them.

0x122 - Ben's Junk: Audio Technica AT-LP120 Turntable (Early Thoughts)

August 16, 2018

Already went over to a direct-drive cassette deck, might as well do the same with vinyl…

0x123 - Ben's Junk: Ben's Makeshift Bedroom Stereo System

August 30, 2018

Looking into the most intimate areas of Ben’s…half-baked stereo system.

0x124 - Ben's Junk: Ramsey FM Transmitter (Further Experiments)

September 13, 2018

Sergei’s Catacomb of Classics in stereo, anyone?

0x125 - Archive Thrifting #4: Elvis Sightings

September 26, 2018

Archive Thrifting®: Now in ESTEREO!!!

0x126 - Archive Thrifting #5: Low Money Hu

October 11, 2018

A mere 3½ months in the making!

0x127 - Sounds of Terror! (Halloween Album Review)

October 25, 2018

The return of the Halloween album reviews! Now in screaming, spooktacular stereo!

0x128 - Ben's Junk: Pac-Man Fever (Pac-Man Tiny Arcades)

November 8, 2018

I’ve got search-for-a-reissue-of-the-original-Pac-Man-arcade-game fever…it’s driving me crazy.

0x129 - Archive Riffs: Thanksgiving Commercials

November 22, 2018

A (non-filling) seven-course meal of Turkey Day commercialism!

0x130 - Ben's Junk: NES Classic Edition (The Last Word?)

December 6, 2018

So, what is the Oddity Archive guy doing with a reissue console?

0x131 - Christmas LaserKaraoke (Deleted Segment from Christmas Special 2018)

December 24, 2018

A little stocking stuffer of yuletide caterwauling—er, caroling!

0x132 - Ben's Junk: Nagaoka MP-110H Phono Cartridge

January 3, 2019

New year, more audio kit. It’s tradition, ya know?

0x133 - Ben's Junk: Sega Pico ("Edutainment" Console)

January 10, 2019

Time to learn…that edutainment consoles rarely end well.

0x134 - Ben's Junk: SNES Classic Edition (Belated) First Impressions)

January 24, 2019

Wait, didn’t we already cover this? Talk about déjà vu…

0x135 - Ben's Junk: Tyco VideoCam

January 31, 2019

Ben’s recovering from a virus (and middle-ear dysfunction). Sounds like a good time to do a (kiddie) camcorder review.

0x136 - Archive Riffs: Valentine’s Day Commercials (A Semi-Romantic Tale)

February 14, 2019

We’re just a bunch of old softies…with a taste for bent story arcs.

0x137 - Archive Thrifting #6: Frostbite Falls

February 28, 2019

Will our scrappy hero escape the clutches of the snow monster? Find out in our next installment: “Frosty The Slowman, or, Snow Thanks to You”!

0x138 - Ben's Junk: Ronco Mr. Microphone

March 14, 2019

Tagline: Ben: Hey, good lookin’! How ‘bout I pick you up later? Attractive Lady: (smacks Ben so hard his fillings are rearranged) Ben: But it worked for the guy in the commercial…

0x139 - Ben's Junk: GAF Super 8 Sound Film Projector

March 28, 2019

Another fixer-upper? In Archiveland? Never!!!

0x140 - Ben's Junk: The Big Reel (Film Collector’s Magazine)

April 11, 2019

While researching the recent VHS Distributors episode, I kept running into references to a publication known as the “Big Reel”. Turns out, it’s most (in)famous of the old film collector publications—and it’s easy to see why.

0x141 - Discovision/Laserdisc Quirks (An Informal Discussion)

April 25, 2019

In a way, Laserdiscs never really outgrew their experimental phase. Here’s an informal, overview of SOME of the more idiosyncratic Laserdiscs out there (and/or their packaging).

0x142 - Discovision Dead Sides Vol. 2

May 9, 2019

DVD Easter Eggs? Nah, way too easy.

0x143 - Ben’s Junk: VGA Converters/Public Domain CD-ROMs

May 23, 2019

A double dose of turn-of-the-millennium PC goodness!

0x144 - Ben’s Junk: Innovative Technologies ITNS-500 Slide “Scanner”

June 13, 2019

After a long delay…well, I’ve got some good news and some bad news.

0x145 - Archive Riffs: Clutch Cargo (Big "X", Parts 4 & 5)

June 20, 2019

The Archive finally gets to “see the X”! Spoiler: It’s a rock.

0x146 - Mystery 8mm Films/The Ballad of Ben & 8mm (Commentary)

June 27, 2019

Let’s see if we can’t clear up some misconceptions about this episode…

0x147 - Archive Thrifting #7: Wii, Wii, All The Way Home

July 4, 2019

I was going a little stir crazy at the end of last season. So, naturally, I decided to add a little to my at-home clutter.

0x148 - Ben's Junk: Video Action Magazine (Issue #1: December, 1980)

August 1, 2019

Readin’ and dreamin’ ‘bout those Archivisms that’ll probably never happen.

0x149 - Ben's Junk: Ben's Laserdisc Collection (2019 Edition)

August 15, 2019

Uh, oh. Ben’s geeking out again. Get comfy.

0x150 - Fostex X-14 Cassette Multitracker/ Ben's Music "Career": The Gear

August 29, 2019

…or, how Ben unwittingly jumped on the “lo-fi” bandwagon.

0x151 - Ben's Junk: Whippany Rhythm Master (Circa 1972 Drum Machine)

September 12, 2019

Who says Ben’s got no rhythm? He’s got 10 of them!

0x152 - Ben's Junk: Burns Theremin

September 26, 2019

…or, The Space-Age Sounds of the Oddity Archive! (now available on vinyl and 3¾ips reel)

0x153 - Archive Thrifting #8: Break IT You Pay For IT

October 10, 2019

Featuring our very Special Guest: Zippy The Chimp!

0x154 - Haunted House (Halloween SFX Album Review)

October 24, 2019

Can your heart (or better yet, head) stand a trip through this haunted house? No, seriously, this is our most headache-inducing one yet.

0x155 - Ben's Junk: Realistic Concertmate (Moog) MG-1 Synthesizer

November 7, 2019

Whatdaya mean you forgot you had a Moog? Also, synth snobs need not apply.

0x156 - Ben's Junk: Sony DCR-TRV320 Digital8 Handycam (Video8 Addendum)

November 21, 2019

Since we were already talkin’ Video8, it only seemed right to cover the Archive’s first camcorder…not to mention, a piece of gear still (as of this episode, at least) in regular use around Archive HQ.

0x157 - Ben's Junk: Archer Video Processor/Stabilizer (Model 15-1272A)

December 5, 2019

Guaranteed to keep this (internet) video from rolling!

0x158 - Algorithmic Audio Mastering (CloudBounce Review)

December 9, 2019

Can online audio mastering render audio mastering engineers obsolete? The short answer: No. Having said that, it’s not as bad as you’d think.

0x159 - Archive Thrifting #9: Christmas Confidential

December 12, 2019

Just your standard, good, old-fashioned, combustible, unnerving, overpriced Country Christmas…

0x160 - Archive Riffs: Boxing Day Commercials (er, Adverts)

December 26, 2019

Celebrating the true meaning of Boxing Day… a whole lotta furniture and carpet sales.

0x161 - MovieCD

January 9, 2020

A would-be full-fledged video format episode…which got curtailed by (amazingly enough) a lack of computer stuff at Archive HQ.

0x162 - Ben's Junk: Cult VHS (& A Few DVD's) (2020 Edition)

January 23, 2020

An informal stroll few some cherry-picked titles from Ben’s (somewhat unintentional) collection of B-Movies and Cult Classics.

0x164 - Ben's Junk: Behringer neutron (analog, Monophonic) Synthesizer

February 20, 2020

Yes, I bought another synth. Yes, I swatted myself on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper over my lack of self-control.

0x165 - Ben's Junk: Industrial Laserdiscs/ Anderic (Reproduction) Service Remote

March 5, 2020

Lookin’ under the hood of Ben’s laserdisc player (quite appropriately) with some General Motors discs.

0x166 - Ben's Music "Career", Vol. 4.5: Greetings From Elderbush Gulch Multitracks (An Addendum)

March 19, 2020

Benny-boy’s (non-accredited) Audio School is now in session!

0x167 - Enhanced CD's (& other multimedia CD's) (an informal chat)

April 2, 2020

Please note that this episode may not run correctly unless your monitor is running at a minimum of 256 colors and your system has at least 12MB of available RAM.

0x168 - The OA (Semi-)Supercomputer/ The OA Recording Studio Redux

April 16, 2020

Well, my last attempt at a semi-regular home audio recording rig failed…and my regular laptop is on its last legs. Here’s my attempt at solving both issues at once.

0x169 - Ben's Junk: Sony SLO-325 Industrial Betamax

April 30, 2020

Time to take a bet(t)a look at the Archive’s first Betamax—from before the Archive even existed (in every sense).

0x170 - Ben's Junk: 1953 & 1956 Hoffman Television Catalogs

May 14, 2020

A genuine televisual feast.

0x171 - Ben's Junk: Tiger Quiz Wiz

May 28, 2020

Question #196.5: What is the Quiz Wiz lacking? Multiple Choice: A. An objective B. A reward C. Entertainment value D. All of the above

0x172 - Ben's Junk: First Alert FTR-960R Time-Lapse VCR (+ Time-Lapse Tape)

June 18, 2020

The Archive gets secure...or just paranoid.

0x173 - Archive Riffs: Moving Up To Amateur Radio

June 25, 2020

OA calling CQ, hopefully DX, lookin’ for the QT on the DL while TCB.

0x174 - Archive Thrifting #10: Before We Were SO Rudely Interrupted

July 2, 2020

Archive Thrifting is a magical tool of last resort…Why? Because it NEVER fails!

0x175 - Ben's Junk: Sony U-Matic & Industrial Betamax Wired Remotes

July 9, 2020

…or, Ben’s weirdest pet-project to date! (kerchunk)

0x176 - Archive Thrifting #11: This Can Not Be The Right Price Deal

July 23, 2020

0x177 - Ben's Junk: Pioneer RH-65 8-Track Deck

August 6, 2020

Meet the Archive’s new (to us) 8-track deck…

0x178 - Ben's Junk: Denon UD-M30 CD Receiver

August 13, 2020

A rare, intimate, bedroom edition of Ben’s Junk…

0x179 - Episode 200 Rebuttal & Deleted Scenes

August 27, 2020

Ok, time for my side of the story...

0x180 - Ben's Junk: JVC HR-S7600U S-VHS ET VCR (REVISITED)

September 24, 2020

Since I had S-VHS and VCR’s on the brain already (moreso than usual), it seemed like the right time to revisit one of the early, ultra-wonky Ben’s Junk topics.

0x181 - Ben's Junk: Buster Keaton Video Collection

October 8, 2020

October 4, 2020 marked the 125th anniversary of comedian/filmmaker Buster Keaton’s birth. Consider this the Archive’s (slightly belated and rambling) tribute to one of the greats…

0x182 - Archive Thrifting #12: (Not-So) Scary Deals

October 22, 2020

It’s the first Archive Thrifting Spooktacular! Strangely enough, it’s probably one of the least scary Thrifting episodes to date.

0x183 - Ben's Junk: (New) Polaroid 600 Film (& old camera(s))

November 5, 2020

You can keep your fancy digital cameras, thank you very much.

0x184 - Ben's Junk: (Some of) Ben's Audiocassette Collection

November 19, 2020

A slow-speed ramble for a slow-speed format.

0x185 - Ben's Junk: (New) Dubreq Stylophone

December 3, 2020

We be stylin’…stylus(in’), that is…y’all.

0x186 - Archive Thrifting #13: Deck The Hauls

December 17, 2020

Fillin’ up the ol’ one-horse open sleigh with…some junk.

0x187 - Ben's Junk: (some of) Ben's Vinyl Collection Vol. 2

January 28, 2021

Time to get back in the groove! (dodges tsunami of rotten produce)

0x188 - Ben's Junk: Sega Genesis Mini

February 11, 2021

Finishing up the trilogy of belatedly-acquired, nostalgically-motivated miniature video game consoles…

0x189 - Home Video Recording, 1972-Style (or, Ben's Complete U-Matic Rig)

February 25, 2021

Only about seven years in the making… With the occasional small liberty, a recreation of the first, commercially-available home videotape recording setup in North America. Depending on your perspective, it’s either hardcore or half-baked.

0x190 - Ben's Junk: Toshiba 20AF43 CRT TV

March 11, 2021

No one should ever get this excited over something this mundane… Or, this CRT is 20 AF…y’all.

0x191 - Archive Thrifting #14: (Non-)Luck of the (Non-)Irish

March 18, 2021

You’ll be green with envy over these finds…or not.

0x192 - Phonies (Answering Machine Greetings)

April 1, 2021

Just when you thought the Archive couldn’t get any more phake…

0x193 - Archive Riffs: A Taxing Set of Commercials (Tax Day Special)

April 15, 2021

It’s time to get down to business in Archiveland!

0x194 - Ben's Junk: GPX Digital TV Tuner + Recorder

April 29, 2021

Can a (relative) cheapie from Menard’s drag the Archive’s off-air recording capabilities (kicking and screaming) into the 21st century? Sort of…

0x195 - A Geeky Evening With Benny-Boy

May 13, 2021

A late-night, low-light, romantic fishing expedition with everybody’s favorite Oddity Archivist…fishing for ArchiveAnnex material, that is.

0x196 - Ben's Junk: ClonerAlliance Box Pro (Video Capture Device)

May 27, 2021

Could it be I’ve finally stumbled onto the rightful heir of the VCR? Looks like it…

0x197 - Ben's Junk: JVC HM-DH30000U & Mitsubishi HD-HS2000u D-VHS VCR's

June 10, 2021

A double-(4)-header of D-VHS (when possible) goodness!

0x198 - Episode 200 (Behind The Box) (Commentary)

June 17, 2021

If ever an OA episode needed a commentary track, it’s this one…

0x199 - Archive Thrifting #15: Out Of This World Deals

June 24, 2021

Featuring deals so far outta sight, they’re outta mind!

0x200 - Ben's Junk: Akai GX-220 Reel-To-Reel Audiotape Deck

July 8, 2021

Of course, I had to pick up a rare and unusual deck for a tape cleaning rig. Also, not to be confused with the Akai GX-220D.

0x201 - Ben's Casino Travelogue (Deleted Segment From How I Spent My Summer VIII)

July 29, 2021

The Archive delivers its first real travelogue…granted, it was all of a half-hour away from home, but still.

0x202 - Archive Thrifting #16: La Cage Aux Thrifting

August 5, 2021

Thrifting can be a real drag…but not when Ben’s around!

0x203 - VCR Cleaning (A Public Service Video)

August 19, 2021

A bit of VHSMR for everyone…

0x204 - Channel Update (9/2021) (Sony AV-2600 Update, Sencore VA62, etc.)

September 2, 2021

There’s plenty in the OA oven right now, just none of it is rising.

0x205 - VCR Rabbit Revisited

September 9, 2021

I got things just a hare wrong the first time around, so let’s hop to another round of tests…

0x206 - Ben's Junk: Video Store Regulars (& Memories)

September 23, 2021

Most people would rent a video once…Benny-boy was just insane enough to rent the same tapes over and over…then eventually buy them.

0x207 - Ben’s Junk: Wolverine Moviemaker Pro 8mm & Super8 Film Scanner

October 7, 2021

A half-hour Ben’s Junk? You might say the machine caused it to run reely long.

0x208 - Archive Thrifting #17: Spooktacular Savings

October 21, 2021

Get a witches shawl on and find a broomstick you can crawl on…and go thrifting with Benny-boy! (snap, snap)

0x209 - Ben's Junk: Sony Digital Mavica (Model MVC-FD73) (Floppy Disk Digital Camera from 1999)

November 4, 2021

Finally getting into this newfangled digital camera stuff…whatdaya mean you can’t get 3.5” floppies anymore?!?

0x210 - Ben's Junk: Coolmusic Ring Modulator (& other FX) ("Max Headroom" Hijacker Voice)

November 18, 2021

Does Ben really think he’s better than Chuck Swirsky? That freakin’ liberal…

0x211 - Ben's Junk: Christmas TV VHS & DVD's

December 2, 2021

‘Tis the season…for holiday specials. Here’s some of my favorites…

0x212 - Archive Thrifting #18: Shortwave Santa

December 16, 2021

Run, run Rudolph…towards another pile of junk!

0x213 - Ben's Junk: Keyfax Update/Pioneer GGF1381 Laserdisc Service Remote/Discovision Dead Sides Vol. 3

January 6, 2022

Going down a mental rabbit hole…in the most Archivian way possible.